


Mipha, Don’t Cry

by shortcake15



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Character Turned Into a Ghost, F/M, Spirits, Zora's Domain
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-03
Updated: 2018-01-03
Packaged: 2019-02-27 17:58:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,780
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13253607
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shortcake15/pseuds/shortcake15
Summary: After her spirit is set free from Vah Ruta, Mipha decides to take a look at her old home while its inhabitants are asleep. However, she isn’t quite prepared to find her father tired, her brother overworked, and her childhood friend alone.





	Mipha, Don’t Cry

**Author's Note:**

> Mipha is my favorite Champion, and after she had basically no part in the Revalink Diaries I decided to make a story just about her!

      _Save her, Link_ , she begged, _save Princess Zelda, and please make sure to take care of yourself as well._

     If Mipha was already gone, her one priority was to make sure that the hero she loved and the only friend she had left wouldn’t suffer the same fate.

      _Ruta, we’ve found a way to be useful to Link...and the other Champions, of course._

     But not as useful as she wanted to be.

      _If we seal Ganon away, then we can restore peace to Hyrule. And both your role and mine will be fulfilled._

     Was it wrong for her to cling on to hope for a larger role, even after so much time?

      _It most definitely is,_ she decided, but as she looked down at her old home, she couldn’t help it.

      _Sidon, Father……are you well?_

* * *

      _You’re already a spirit, a little visit will do no harm,_ she told herself. 

      _What if they see you somehow, and you don’t look like the princess they knew?_

_Then go at night._

_What if the people you know are dead, or became unrecognizable over time?_

_It’s still better to know that than not._  
  
     After reassuring herself that it would be fine, Mipha made a plan. In another hour or so, the night would be completely dark, and then she would venture inside the domain.

     Instead of spending the time watching from Ruta’s back, she decided to dive straight through the ceiling (the only perk of being a spirit) and sit down inside, trying to calm the excitement that took her over at the thought of finally seeing her home again. She’d spent the last 100 years waiting, after all, and what was one more hour compared to that?

* * *

 

     Mipha didn’t realize that she’d been asleep until Ruta’s loud bellow shook her awake.  
“W-what’s going on?” she yawned. It was strange: she hadn’t slept, or even felt tired at all, since her death.

      _The sky is at its darkest, perfect time to sneak into the domain, Lady Mipha._

     “Ruta? _You_ woke me up for that?“

      _Of course, you are my Pilot, and my friend._

     “Thank you,” she told it. “and you are an important friend to me too. I will come back soon.”

     Walking in straight through the main bridge seemed contrary to the intention of stealth, but Mipha did it anyway. Every stone, pillar, and rail was exactly as it had been, bringing back memories of returning home after training, successful hunts, and visits with the other Champions that made her smile as she continued inside. The gate was also unchanged, and the domain itself was still the same shade of blue. Things might not be _too_ far from where she’d left them…that idea comforted her a little.

     Until she saw the statue.

     A young girl, holding a trident and looking down benevolently. _Like a princess,_ she thought, and it took a moment for her to realize that it _was_ , in fact, a princess- _her_.

_Oh._

     That was unexpected.

     She gave it a closer look, taking in all the little details- each tiny ridge in her fins, her hands around the Lightscale Trident, her favorite necklaces and bracelets, the emblem of Ruta on her sash…

     Her hand slipped through when she tried to touch it, as expected, but she was sure that for at least a fraction of a second, she had felt the smooth stone under her fingers.

      _Must have been wishful thinking._

     Though it was a bit unsettling to see herself many times larger than life, and she didn’t believe that something like this was even warranted in the first place, whoever had sculpted it deserved her thanks.

     Finally tearing her gaze away from the statue, she decided to look for her family first. Loud snoring, which she knew could only belong to her father, was her first clue, and she was quick to follow it. She passed the Marot Mart (it was good to see it still running after so many years) and its sleeping owner, looked inside multiple homes (including that of her old friend Kodah, who she silently congratulated for the husband and daughter with her) and finally, reached the gigantic carp statue.

     The doors under it were closed, but she (with a little effort, unlike the last time) passed through them. And there she was, in the King’s throne room, where her father had fallen asleep. He looked completely worn out, and she felt a pang of sympathy. _Something_ was wrong- he had _never_ stayed there overnight in the past (always claiming that it got far too cold after dark). Still, she wasn’t quite sure what it could be. Sure, his scales had lost a bit of their shine and his wrinkles were more pronounced, but wasn’t that to be expected after 100 years?

     It wasn’t until Mipha entered his study that she understood. Instead of the ruler who owned it, a tall, red-finned Zora was inside, writing notes at a desk that was already piled high with news reports, budget forms, envelopes labled with symbols from all four corners of Hyrule, and history textbooks.

     “Sidon?!”

     Her little brother had grown up, so much....

     As if he had heard it, he spun around, staring straight at her for a second before sighing and returning to his papers.

     “Are you alright, Your Highness? You seem a little…startled.”

     Of course, Muzu was there too. She should have expected it, given that he was the royal tutor, but still…

     “I’m fine, it’s just that, well, I thought I heard Mipha’s voice, a-and saw her for a moment too…I know, I know, it sounds ridiculous…”

     “I _am_ here, Sidon, I _am_!” Still, her cries went unheard.

     “With all due respect, you are pushing yourself too hard. Perhaps if you didn’t dedicate all of your time to work and studies- took breaks to rest, or hunt with the spear like you used to enjoy- incidents like this wouldn’t happen. I can tell the royal advisors to stop treating you like their personal dump…”

     Mipha had never seen that sort of concern on Muzu’s face before, or heard him suggest _not_ to work.

     “But-but how am I supposed to inherit the throne if I’m not prepared? My father will step down soon, _everyone_ knows that… they also know that I am in _no_ way suited to diplomacy, or politics, or _any_ of the king’s duties…”

_Nobody really is, he should know that already._

     “....and that I am not as strong as my sister…”

      _Oh, Sidon…._

     “The others don’t see how hard you work, or how determined you are. I am certain that you will become a fine king, and that if she could watch you, Lady Mipha would agree. ”

      _I do agree, I do…_

     “Maybe.” he replied, turning back to his papers without showing any emotion, and somehow, that hurt even more.

     “Yes, but for tonight you are finished. Go and sleep now.”

     “Muzu!”

     “I said _finished_.”

     “There is still so much-”

     “You speak of rumors of the King, but do you not hear what they say about you? _The prince is as exhausted as his father. He still smiles, but you can see the shadows under his eyes. It looks like he will collapse as soon as he ascends to the throne._ You are _106_ , Sidon, and that is _far_ too young to be described as _exhausted_!”

     “And _you_ are far too old to understand my problem,” he spat, but headed back to his room anyway.

     Mipha didn’t follow him; she couldn’t take any more.

* * *

 

     She barely managed to get through the study wall, and stumbled as she headed down the stairs in the direction of the mountains. All she had to do was get back to Ruta, there, she could rest in peace, let everything that she’d just seen sink in, and decide what to do next…

     But was there really a point? Mipha couldn’t change anything. Her chance to save her people had been lost 100 years ago! The only thing she could do now was wait until she disappeared. Judging by her arm, which had _not_ faded as much she would have liked, that would take a long time.

     As she passed by, she was only dimly aware of her surroundings- there was the blacksmith shop (no blacksmith and no tridents inside at the moment), the library, a few more homes, the inn-

     The inn!

     She didn’t remember the owner, who was sleeping at the desk, but she _did_ know the name, written in large, bold letters on the guest list. Even though it was written in Ancient Hylian, not her native language, she would recognize it anywhere! Just seeing it was enough to make her head inside and hurry up the stairs, to the room labeled with the number on the list.

     The door was closed, but even after multiple attempts, she couldn’t pass through it. Luckily, it was unlocked, so she could still get in...and sure enough, there he was.

     “Link….”

     He was alone, without anyone to help or guide him. That by itself made her heart twist, but he was also sleeping in the Zora Armor- _her_ armor. It fit him perfectly, exactly as she had wanted 100 years ago, and that was enough to break her down.

     She cried because she couldn’t help her people, her father, her brother, or her childhood friend.

     Because she couldn’t be there to convince her father that it was time to retire and let her take the throne.

     Because she had decided long ago that she would become the queen, and let Sidon grow into the warrior he always wanted to be, but that wasn’t possible anymore.

     Because she had spent hours making that armor, but never gotten the chance to give it to Link herself or convey the feelings behind it.

     Because Calamity Ganon had destroyed so many possibilities, not only her future but also those of the other Champions, the knights that fought against it, the civilians of Castle Town, the uncountable others who had been injured or killed back then, and everyone who knew any of them.

     Because when Link would inevitably go to fight it, she wouldn’t be able to help.

     Because she hadn’t seen his energetic, happy side since they were children, and would never get to see it again.

     Because she loved him, and he would never be able to he-

     “Mipha?”

     No question, the girl collapsed in front of his bed was the one he had seen in the statue, as part of his memories, and on Ruta. But she was different now. More solid, more vibrant, no longer fading into the background…. _real_.

     “Mipha, don’t cry.”

**Author's Note:**

> Why was Link sleeping in the Zora armor, you might ask?  
> He thought it would bring him more memories of its creator in his dreams!  
> (No, not THOSE kinds of dreams, you perverts!)


End file.
